YouTube Magazine "JAPAN" - "Bugaku 舞楽" by karigrohncom / mayagrohncom photo Kari Gröhn

Bugaku

Ancient Court Music and Dance of Japan, by Kari Gröhn, karigrohn.com, mayagrohn.com

Miyajima Itsukushima Jinja, Ise Jingu, Kyoto Yasaka Jinja, Osaka Shitennoji, Kyoto Daigoji, Kyoto Kurama dera, Kyoto Himukai Jinja, Kyoto Gokonomiya Jinja, Oki Kokubunji

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[karigrohncom]

Bugaku

Ancient Court Music and Dance of Japan

Miyajima Itsukushima Jinja, Ise Jingu, Kyoto Yasaka Jinja, Osaka Shitennoji, Kyoto Daigoji, Kyoto Kurama dera, Kyoto Himukai Jinja, Kyoto Gokonomiya Jinja, Oki Kokubunji

[karigrohncom]

Bugaku, the ancient court music and dance of Japan, originates from China, Korea, and India. It is possibly the oldest existing form of orchestral music and dance in the world.

The left side dance (Chinese) uses red coloured costumes, and the right side dance (Korean) green coloured costumes.

The ceremonial bugaku is an art performed for the Emperor and to pacify the spirits of gods.

In the traditional repertoire there are a hundred pieces of music and tens of dances.

[karigrohncom]

Karyobin - Dance of Kalavinka Birds

Girls in orange costume wearing wings and flowery crowns perform Karyobin, a dance of the Kalavinka bird. Little cymbals imitate the Kalavinkas timbre.

[karigrohncom]

This magic Kalavinka bird appeared when Buddha attained enlightenment.

The Lotus Sutra reads "Sage lord, heavenly being among heavenly beings, voiced like the Kalavinka bird, you who pity and comfort living beings, we now pay you honour and reverence."

The Kalavinka starts singing even before leaving its shell and live in Amida's Pure Land of Perfect Bliss.

Buddhist art depicts the Kalavinka as having the body of a bird and a human head.

[karigrohncom]

Tagyuraku (Polo) Dance

Tagyuraku is a kind of polo dance in which the dancers are dressed as courtiers of the Heian period.

Polo was an ancient Persian sport known in China of the Tang dynasty and thence introduced into Nara of the Heian period.

It is said that 88 or 40 persons played this polo like game on horseback.

What is now left from the game is the music accompanying traditional court dance.

[karigrohncom]

Single Horn Lion Dance (Shishimai)

Adapted from China, shishimai is a dance to cast out or frighten away evil incursions.

Around the New Year it is performed as a prayer for household safety.

During the spring and summer shishimai is danced to scare pests and wild animals away from crops.

[karigrohncom]

The lion head is identified with a Shinto mountain god who brings rain and later in Buddhism as an incarnation of Buddha.

Whoever observes shishimai is protected from evil since the lion head has teeth that can destroy all illnesses and evil.

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Ranryo (Dragon) Dance

The Ranryo dance is based on the legend from China.

The prince of Ranryo started a war to pacify the country. He was not only intelligent and brave, but also extremely handsome, and therefore could not inspire terror in the enemy.

This is why the prince put on a horrifying dragons mask, attacked the enemy, and achieved a complete victory.

As a sign of gratitude, his followers to glorify their brave commander created this dance.

[karigrohncom]

As a sign of gratitude, his followers to glorify their brave commander created this dance.

According to the legend, when this piece is played, peace reigns over the empire, the country flourishes and the earth gives abundant harvest.

The Ranryo dance is performed on occasions of enthronement of the Emperor and the restoration of peace after the war.

[karigrohncom]

Taiheiraku (Peace) Dance

Taiheiraku is one of the dances of the left (Chinese).

The dancers represent warriors in the costumes of the Tang military and the dance symbolises the role that the military had in maintaining and ensuring peace.

The robes used for Taiheiraku are the most complex and elaborate of all the Bugaku costumes.